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The Random Letter

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As Raven sat eating breakfast, he suddenly realized the envelope had been his all along. A month earlier, he had been contemplating how he could stay in Vietnam longer. He was developing close bonds with local families and wanted to ensure he could remain there to cultivate those relationships. Tired of frequent visa runs to the Laos border, he began searching for a more permanent, economical solution, though he felt frustrated and confused by the lack of viable options. One morning, while reading in the hotel lobby, he ran into Michael, a fellow guest heading out for breakfast. They struck up a conversation, and Michael mentioned that he was pursuing an education visa with the help of a Vietnamese friend. When Raven heard this, he became incredibly enthusiastic and asked for more information. Michael gave Raven the contact details, mentioning that his friend worked at a nearby coffee shop. Although excited, Raven had been feeling uncomfortable in certain neighborhoods and around cer...
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GLP1 Receptors

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In my memory, the foods available in earlier generations were far more nutritious than what’s available today. In the schools, physical education was mandatory, requiring hours of exercise each week. Although television was in the majority of households, compared to today, we were generally more active. As nutritious options began to disappear with sedentary habits increasing, these two combinations led to significant increase in population-wide weight gain. While there are attempts at managing weight through popular diets, most find these programs difficult to sustain. In search of solutions, science has developed a GLP-1 receptor, which mimics the body’s natural hormones to regulate appetite. The use of these medications has skyrocketed, and they are now widely recognized for their impact on metabolic health. By suppressing appetite and regulating insulin, these drugs offer a powerful remedy for managing weight. But it’s well established that rapid weight loss can lead to the loss ...
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Courage to be Disliked

Part 1: Deny Trauma I just started reading the book, “The Courage to Be Disliked" by Ichiro Kishimi. The book is structured as a series of conversations between a young man and a philosopher whose teachings are rooted in the psychology of Alfred Adler. I am also reading Determinism by Robert Sapolsky. It is fascinating to read them simultaneously because they offer completely opposing perspectives. The first part of “The Courage to Be Disliked” would be entirely rejected by Sapolsky, as one who argues against free will while the other does not. They offer vastly different views on the nature of happiness. According to Adler, the past does not matter. It’s about setting goals and finding the courage to be happy. In the first section of “The Courage to Be Disliked”, the author states that trauma does not exist. When the young man asked, "Wait a minute! Are you denying the existence of trauma altogether?" the philosopher responds adamantly, "Yes, I am." To me, hi...
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